Paul Hughes vs A.J. McKee will be a very exciting and highly-anticipated bout on the 19th of October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With both men known for their fireworks in both striking and grappling, this is perhaps a war between two of the most thrilling lightweight prospects on the face of the earth. Let’s start by looking closely at both fighters’ profiles.
Paul Hughes AKA “Big News”
- Height: 5’9″
- Weight: 155.7 lbs
- Age:27
- Reach: 70″
- Takedown Average: 25%
- Significant Strikes Average: 50.3%
- Submissions average: 0
Hughes is a professional fighter born in Australia but with origins in North Ireland. He has quickly risen through the ranks of the PFL by using a wildly aggressive game and a heavy arsenal of strikes. With his 12-1-0 professional record, Hughes has come out on top of 9 of his 12 wins by way of knockout or submission. His standout work is definitely striking, with a heavy right hand and a variety of kicks that can give a fight momentum. But he also has a decent grappling game, with takedowns that can pose threats to any fighter. He is currently on an impressive streak of 6 consecutive wins.
His Strengths:
While Big News possesses many characteristics of a strong guard player, he typically likes to scramble out, working hard for the advantage and top position. Hughes has been most successful with slam takedowns; he sometimes wraps around his opponent’s waist and knocks him down.
Sometimes, Hughes executes inside-leg trips and single-leg takedowns. Furthermore, Hughes has the tendency to over-aggress, which leads to lapses in his defense which A.J. McKee might take advantage of.
A.J. McKee AKA “Mercenary”
- Height: 5’10”
- Weight: 154.8 lbs
- Age: 29
- Reach: 73.5″
- Takedown Average: 47%
- Significant Strikes Average: 34.8%
- Submissions average: 9.1%
McKee is the former Bellator featherweight champion and brings a whole lot of experience and championship pedigree with him. His professional record stands at 22-1-0 and speaks for itself! Of those 22 wins, 6 were via knockout and 8 via submission. His striking is powerful and comes with a variety of combinations. McKee is a decent grappler and has a strong submission game to go along with a dangerous guard and this is something Hughes will need to watch out for.
As a previous champion, he has mentally experienced big performances and the handling of pressure. He is a complete fighter; he can strike as well as grapple very effectively.
However, even though McKee has been successful at the featherweight weight class, he often tends to start fights off slowly. This lets his opponents usually build a rhythm early in fights.
Paul Hughes vs A.J. McKee Prediction
This is a classic clash of styles between arguably two of the most exciting fighters currently competing at the PFL lightweight. Hughes’ aggressive striking and relentless pace will have to square up against McKee’s more technical striking and experience holding a championship belt. Both opponents possess the skill to have the fight ended with a single strike or submission, making this a must-see for any fan of mixed martial arts.
Hughes will win by keeping his high-paced fighting style and landing some heavy shots. If he can overwhelm McKee early and make McKee fight his pace, he may earn the stoppage victory. The experience of McKee and technical striking might give him the edge in the longer fight, though.
He would need to use his technical striking to nullify the aggression of Hughes and not get himself into a slugfest. McKee would also be wary of takedown attempts from Hughes and use his grappling skills to nullify any advantage on the ground. If McKee can maintain the pace of the fight and place his strikes well, he might emerge victorious.
Ultimately, this is a true toss-up fight, as either fighter can win with his skill. It should be an exciting battle of wills and a display of some of the best talent in the lightweight division.
Update
In an exclusive interview with MMA KO’s Drew Beaupré, Paul Hughes replied his critics by saying “On paper I’m coming into this a huge underdog. But I know my skillset, I’ve mixed it up with some of the best in the world. And I know that I have all the capabilities to beat the likes of AJ McKee. Because why else would I be calling for it all the time? So one hundred percent, I’m gonna be coming out of there with a win.”
For sure, “Big News” comes to this fight as the clear underdog, with top blogs giving him a less than 15% chance of winning “Mercenary”. However, he is on an impressive 6-win streak and I think he will surprise everyone on Saturday 19th at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, proving everyone doubter wrong.
AJ excels in submissions, so, Hughes should avoid taking the fight to the ground, otherwise he’ll lose. The focus should be on well-landed strikes to takeout AJ.
As mentioned above, I think “Big News” will create a surprise, hence I’m backing him. The odds are around 2.48 and you should hurry and sign up on the best betting platform o profit from this. Good luck!